SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

OPERATIONS ENGINEER, MATERIALS LAB OPERATIONS

The Materials Lab Operations team is a newly formed team, within the Materials Engineering department, that directly owns the meticulous development and characterization of new and existing materials supporting nearly every single program at SpaceX. The Materials Engineering department’s vision centers around the development of new materials that enable rapidly reusable spacecraft while minimizing costs of payload to orbit and mars while maximizing launch cadence.

As an operations engineer, you will be directly involved in all material testing supporting our department’s vision. Serving as the sole ops engineer for this team you will own determining what we decide test, when we choose to test it, how it’s tested, etc. You will leverage data and automation to develop scheduling tools, coordinate directly with engineering, inform what metrics we want to publish, coordinate with outsource vendors, inform the future layout of our production areas, and much more.

The Materials Lab Operations team is at the forefront of a recently announced effort to centralize all Hawthorne-based material testing, and you can help be part of the turning this into a reality.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Prepare daily work schedules, track work progress, update and communicate project critical path schedules, and advise leadership of needed adjustments to daily work activities
• Utilize our ERP application and other applicable tools to ensure work is scheduled and prioritized accurately and efficiently and resources allocated appropriately
• Work across all departments to understand critical work requests ahead and behind targets to mitigate schedule impact risks
• Develop tools to analyze turnaround time, capacity, testing costs, asset utilization, and lab operations to guide decisions
• Develop and track key performance measures, and identify decision points and actions to optimize production to meet demand
• Collaborate with cross-departmental partners in design engineering, production, and materials engineering synchronize efforts
• Create metrics and leverage SQL and Excel to highlight schedule risks and opportunities
• Support accuracy of internal logistics movement of critical work
• Lead weekly materials lab schedule reviews with operations and engineering to understand and address roadblocks to the plan
• Act as subject matter expert in multiple materials lab processes and systems, enabling complex data gathering, troubleshooting, and problem solving
• Ownership of floor layouts, capacity studies, and product flow analysis to ensure on-time product delivery

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in industrial, mechanical, software, or other engineering discipline
• 2+ years of manufacturing scheduling experience

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, SQL, and PowerBI
• Experience with scheduling, prioritization, and material planning in a manufacturing environment
• Experience with material testing, analysis, or characterization
• General understanding of how to measure asset utilization and overall capacity modeling
• Familiarity with SketchUp, Visio, or AutoCAD
• Familiarity with lean principles, Six Sigma, and Kaizen concepts
• Project management professional certification or 1+ years of practical experience with ERP/MRP systems in a production environment
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, comfortable presenting to and influencing a variety of stakeholders (across all SpaceX programs)
• Experience working both autonomously and as a team in a highly demanding and fast paced environment
• Creative approach to problem solving and exceptional analytical skills

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• This position is based in Hawthorne, CA and requires being onsite - remote work not considered
• Must be willing to work extended hours and/or weekends as needed
• Physical effort including standing, lifting, and carrying equipment up to 30 lbs unassisted

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay range:          

Operations Engineer/Level I: $95,000.00 - $115,000.00/per year  

Operations Engineer/Level II: $110,000.00 - $130,000.00/per year

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock, stock options, or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

• To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com.